DANCE ADJUDICATOR
Jill Baldock L.I.D.T.A., A.R.A.D.
Jill is an adjudicator for The British and International Federation of Festivals. She trained at The Hylton Bromley School in Merseyside, where she gained several scholarships from the International Dance Teachers Association. Jill qualified as a teacher with the I.D.T.A. at the age of 19. She then went on to run her own school. She also received a scholarship to attend ‘The Place’, London’s Contemporary School of Dance, and taught contemporary dance for The Arts Council. Her professional dancing career took her from the West End Theatre to Cabaret, from T.V. to Film work, eventually choreographing and directing theatre shows. Jill then went into the music business, producing for E.M.I. Records and recorded artists such as Shirley Bassey, Nigel Planer, Bonnie Langford, Marti Webb, Ruthie Henshall etc. She also ran her own music publishing company.
Jill has returned to her love of teaching and is now working for The Italia Conti Associate School, the Surrey Arts Council and has just returned from St.Petersburg, Helsinki, Stockholm and Estonia where she was Dance Lecturer. In 2009 Jill will be adjudicating in Sri Lanka and the Caribbean.
"My entire family have been firm followers of Festivals, my brother Chris, my sister Wendy and my niece Lucy (a Miss Dance winner) are all familiar names within the Festive Fraternity and I am so looking forward to adjudicating at The Cranbrook Music Dance and Drama Festival."
SPEECH & DRAMA ADJUDICATOR
Jenny Thornton
AGSM (Teaching), ALAM (Acting) ALAM (Public Speaking), Certificate in Education, LISTD and CDE (Freestyle Dance), Assistant Principal for Edexcel, Adjudicator for British and International Federation of Festivals.
Jenny trained at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. Having taught drama and led the Performing Arts Team in a large Comprehensive for 10 years Jenny now enjoys running her own Performance Centre with ages from 4 years to adults delivering drama, dance and musical theatre. Her work in a local secondary school involves taking A Level Drama and Theatre Studies and organising the after school drama club. She loves writing and was delighted when LAMDA printed one of her monologues in their exam syllabus book. She is an Assistant Principal for Edexcel visiting schools in her North London area and abroad examining GCSE practical performances. Jenny is looking forward to visiting Cranbrook Arts Festival, especially as this is the very first festival, and making it a very positive experience for all concerned.
"Drama is a life skill that changed me from a stuttering introvert to a confident individual. We can give our children no better opportunity."
MUSIC ADJUDICATOR
Delia Meehan MA LRAM ARCM LTCL
Delia Meehan began her musical training in her home County of Norfolk, England, where she was the leader of the East Anglian Youth Orchestra and a member of The Broadland Singers, a leading Chamber Choir in the East of England.
Delia studied oboe, violin and piano at The Royal Academy of Music and on completion of her studies continued at The Royal Academy of Music, taught the oboe on the Junior Exhibitioners Course. At this time Delia was oboe specialist at Reading University and The Royal Holloway College (London University). And is currently Senior Instrumental Tutor and Woodwind Coach of the English Schools’ Orchestra, which took part in the International Festival of Youth Orchestras in Banff, Canada, and a tour of Australia in 2003 with the Australian Youth Choir.
Delia is an experienced adjudicator and in this rôle she visits many music festivals in the United Kingdom, including the Three Rivers Young Musician Competition, Kota Kinabalu Festival in Borneo and the Inaugural Festival in Kuala Lumpar, Malaysia in 2007. She is also a member of The Royal Society of Musicians and is an examiner for the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music.
"I am delighted to be involved in the very first Cranbrook Festival and look forward to hearing all the young musicians."
MUSIC ADJUDICATOR - MUSICAL SONGS SECTION
Patrick Clancy
Patrick is a professional singer and actor and has appeared in over 100 productions, 15 of them in London’s West End. His credits include Joseph and his Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at the London Palladium, Phantom of the Opera, Les Miserables at the Palace Theatre, Sweeny Todd, and Guys and Dolls. He has also appeared in The Royal Variety show 1993/94 BBC and was the first British actor to play the lead role of Max Bialystock in The Producers at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane.
Patrick most recently appeared in the national tour of Cats where he played the part of Bustopher Jones/Asparagus/Growl Tiger. He is delighted to have been invited to adjudicate the Musical Song section and is very much looking forward to attending the festival in Cranbrook.
Good Luck to Everybody.